


Would you?

by TwistedNym



Series: Some of us die young [5]
Category: Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 15:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14114898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedNym/pseuds/TwistedNym
Summary: "Ok, simple question. Be honest, yeah?" Leaning his head on his hand, he watches closely.Maven waits and Thomas clears his throat. "If I had gotten in a fight with the spiky girl. And you really cross the room and were coming over all the way. Would you have said something?"





	Would you?

**Author's Note:**

> It's a little shorter, but please, here have something fluffy.

 

* * *

"Tommy," Feeble Will Whistle looks surprised when Thomas slips in and the doorbell rings. Nothing much has changed in the pawnshop since Thomas stepped in the last time. It's still a poor excuse, and dirty inside. But since Thomas is here for another business altogether he doesn't really care. The real stuff is under the counter, in the back.

Will leans over the counter. "Heard you were in jail."

Thomas appreciates the worry hidden in that words. Will hasn't called him Tommy since he was thirteen, the first time he has stepped into the pawn shop, throwing a necklace on the table.

"Got lucky." Thomas scratches his chin." Or maybe not, depending who you ask. They had some paperwork and I got off to counseling shit. "

" That poor counselor," Will mutters in his beard. "Pity him knowing your big mouth."

"You are supposed to root  _for me_." Thomas insists."Anyway, no jail. But got something for you."

Thomas shakes his messenger bag. It makes a little rattling sound.

Now there's interest and Will looks around before his head points Thomas to the back room.

It's business as usual. He tries to barter but Whistle doesn't budge. It's still more money than Thomas held in his hands for weeks.

It's all over quick.

When he steps into the front of the pawnshop he sees a familiar face. She has some very knotted headphones in her ears and stands in front of the door. With two steps Thomas has reached the handle and pulls it open.

"Hey, Barrow." He says. The girls head whips up, brown hair send flying, staring up at him. She relaxes a little when she recognizes his dirty black form. Her eyes see every hole in his sleeves and he wonders if Shade told her anything about him.

"You're back in the Stilts?" she asks, pulling out the cheap headphones, ripping at the cords. He wouldn't care or notice. But he's hanging with the rich kids now and the difference is plain easy to spot and leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

He shrugs. "Only for money. I like the open road." They never really talk. She's someone's sister, and that one time keeping her ass out of the flames was just coincidence. " Siblings fine? How's your sister? What was her name, eh, Gisa?"

There's something protective in the way she lifts her head and shoulders. "Yes. All fine."

"Cool." He's almost out of the friendly small talk. And he sucks at it, as Maven points out often. "Real cool. Eh, Whistle's busy, brought him something. May take a moment."

"I can wait. Not like I have somewhere to be."

"You sure?" he mocks."No fancy invitation up to the hills today?"

"I decline those since they don't serve my favorite kaviar anymore."

Thomas laughs. She seems pleased enough that he does. There's an underlying bitterness in both of them. It's grim and he feels better knowing he's not alone with it.

When his laughter is over, there's silence again.

They shuffle their feet, not looking at each other. Thomas makes a grimace.

"Thanks for helping me the last time." She finally says. Thomas feels a genuine little smile creeping on his face, he still tries to play it down.

"All fine. Who wouldn't have helped?"

She shakes her head and they both know the answer.

"Look who's here," Will says returning to the counter. "First Thomas and now the little Barrow. Must be a good day for nimble fingers."

Thomas decides to take his leave. When he steps past the girl, he's surprised she stops him.

"See you around," Mare Barrow says.

"Yeah. Bye." Thomas gives her a wave with his hand and steps out of the pawnshop.

His parents live close by. Down the road and by the river. He wouldn't even have to say hi. Maybe just sneak a glance at the window. But what if someone sees? He doesn't have any explanation. He never had.

He dropped out of school. They weren't angry. Just a little sad.  _You are a smart kid, Tommy,_  his mother used to say.  _Don't waste it. You're so young._

He got in trouble. Black eyes and bruises.  _You're an idiot,_  his sister had said, shoving him lightly.  _Let me take a look._

He almost got in jail.  _Why did you do it?_  His father had asked.  _I don't understand you. But I want to, really._

And now he can't even find a roof over his head.

Without a word, Thomas turns around and moves to the train station. He sees Mare Barrow again, a short glimpse, but she isn't exactly looking like she wants to chat, judging by that angry spitting.

* * *

"Wanna eat something? I'll pay." Thomas puffs as proud as he can.

It's autumn now, the cold air and the rain makes as much clear. In the morning there's still orange light from a warming sun, but it gets tangled in fog or spiderwebs. The webs are wet with little drops of water, hanging in row like precious pearls.

Thomas doesn't have a real coat anymore so he wears two shirts under his hoodies.

"That's not necessary."

"Yeah no, it is." Thomas insists.

"If this is still about owing me, " Maven says, unsure, and there's a crack in his perfect facade. Thomas forgets sometimes how different he looks when they aren't alone. Surrounded by other people he's downright cold in comparison to the warm hands and the fluttering kisses.

"Maybe it is. A little. "Thomas looks around. When he is sure no one is watching, he nudges Maven's hand for the slightest of seconds. "But I want to. So let me."

They walk in silence over a head light. Someone bumps into Thomas and he makes a step to the side. When their shoulders brush, Maven flinches back a little.

They agreed on this without ever needing to tell the other. Keep your distance, public doesn't need to know.

It's real as long as no one is watching. It's what's good and healthy and safe. Then why does he even bother asking himself why it's stinging a little?

It's not like Thomas wants anything. He has little expectations. Every day they stick together is more than he thought they would ever last.

"You can give up control once in a while, you know," Thomas whispers.

Maven looks positively upset behind his contained face at that accusation. "I am not trying to control you."

"I know." Thomas shrugs. "You're still bad at letting go. You have your habits."

"Says the one running away."

"I apologized!" His voice is louder than expected and some bypasser turns his head. "I mean," Thomas lowers his gaze and turns the volume down. "Kinda."

Maven ponders. Then he nods. "Okay. You pay. I'm not really hungry though."

"How about you and me have a coffee." Thomas tries to sound smooth. "Talk a little. And see where it leads."

"You're ridiculous." Maven says but sounds good natured, there's the slightest of flushes on his ears.

Thomas makes a little airfist, only for himself. And the other bypasseres, maybe. But sometimes an airfist is the only appropriate reaction. " Yiss, coffee date. I feel like an adult. See it's not so hard to let it go."

At the words 'let it go' Thomas thinks of his little sister and a very particular movie she watched daily. It's making him a little sad, but there's nothing to do. He should be at least kind of happy right now.

"I was only insisting because you never-" Maven stops to give Thomas am incredulous look. "Are you humming  _Frozen_?"

"You don't have younger siblings so you won't understand the impact this movie had on my life, Mave."He has started it, now he needs to finish it. He thinks of his sister whirling around and pestering with an 'again, again' and hums the tune.

Life is really not so bad, yes? At least the view is allright,Thomas thinks when he holds the cups and steps back from the counter in the coffeeshop,not really watching where to set his feet. Probably not the brightest idea with steaming coffee in his hands. His eyes slip to the back of the room instead and he smiles seeing Maven almost pressing himself into the corner of the table, as far away from the window as stares at his phone.

That's the moment he bumps right into something spiky.

At first he thinks its the edge of a desk or something other metallic. Turns out it's a girl and the spiky part is her belt.

The coffee splatters over the brim of the cup and leaves a burning sensation on his hand and a stain on her grey shirt.

"What the-" She turns around and Thomas is positive he's the only ugly person in this part of town. The girl is super pretty, in a grungy sort of way, with that spikes and the combat boots. The most noticeable thing is her long hair. It's as gray as her shirt. "Fuck!"

And she's really pissed.

"Eh, real sorry." Thomas straightens his cups and steps back. "Nice hair, by the way."

Whatever she's expected it wasn't a compliment.

She still looks like she wants to flay him alive.

"Eyes," she hisses. "You got them. Use them. What a fucking-" She clenches the stained spot on her shirt and looks like she's going to punch him.

Anger issues much? He wants to ask but then again he spilled a hot drink on her and he's sure it sucks.

There's another girl with her. Seriously, what's in that water those silver people drink? If Thomas was into girls, he's sure he'd crush hard. Not like they'd be interested, one way or another. The way the red head leans over to the one with the murder look makes his spider senses tingle.

"He said he's sorry, Eve, let it be." Her voice is quiet and friendly and it has some effect.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees a familiar blue figure. He's weary,but Thomas doesn't need someone to fight his fights. Especially not over spilled coffee.

"As I said, real sorry." He turns around and leaves before the girl decides she really just wants to punch him. He meets Maven halfway through the room and nudges him back to the table with his elbow.

"I know that look." Thomas says, setting the cups down and cleaning his hand on his shirt. "Don't get fuzzy."

Maven takes his spot in the corner, crossing his arms."I am not fuzzy."

Thomas shrugs and his fingers drum on the wooden table. "Was my fault, really, I apologized and that's it."

"I know her," Maven says, taking his cup and glancing back at the girls. "She can be rather difficult."

"Yeah,lucky her girlfriend is there."

"They are just friends as far as I know."

Thomas almost spits out his coffee. It's more of a pound sugar with added coffeine. "Yeah," he coughs." No. Nope."

Maven's eyebrow shoot up.

"No." Thomas repeats. "Nope. That's a date. These girls are bumping uglies sooner or later."

"See,"Maven isn't convinced. "According to you all the people that hang out get romantically involved at some point. And while I admire your imagination, thats not how things work. So pardon me if I keep my reservation."

"Oh, coffee makes him use fancy words." Thomas shakes his head."How would you know how it works?"

There's that look again, like Thomas just blurps words that are silly. "I'm not some robot, Thomas."

I know, Thomas thinks. But sometimes you act the part.

He pushes the thought into the back of his head.

"Ok, simple question. Be honest, yeah?" Leaning his head on his hand, he watches closely.

Maven waits and Thomas clears his throat. "If I had gotten in a fight with the spiky girl. And you really cross the room and were coming over all the way. Would you have said something?"

There's a frown again and then he's all lost to Thomas. Like he's underwater again.

"I don't know." He finally says.

Thomas takes another sip of the sugar. "I guess that's better than a no. I'll live with it."

They leave when more people get in and it's getting too crowded for either their taste.

When Thomas pays, Maven stares at his phone again.

They take the usual trip along the river and down the way to the benches.

"What was in that coffee? Sprinkled diamonds?" Thomas feels betrayed. He doesn't even like coffee that much. "Who pays that on a regular base for measly wifi and too hard chairs?"

"You wanted to go and you paid the price."

"Yeah well, on the bright side, " Thomas mouth says, directly blubbering out his inner thoughts. "everything is less horrible when I'm with you."

There's the tiniest of smiles spreading over Maven's face. Thomas takes it and puts it somewhere safe, where no one can ever take it from him.

**Author's Note:**

> One could say it was..a latte trouble about nothing.  
> I feel bad. No, really.


End file.
